3 unique Manchester attractions for visitors: Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium, Europe’s 3rd-largest Chinatown and a world-class music festival in a huge park
- Enjoy a tour or match-day hospitality package at Manchester United’s stadium, or embark on a diverse culinary tour in Chinatown, Europe’s third largest
- The Parklife music festival, with top acts annually hosted in a vast green space, also helps make the English city that produced Morrissey well worth a visit
Resilience is an attribute Manchester has shown on many occasions since its establishment during Roman times. The northern English city has weathered the rise and fall of textile manufacturing, second world war aerial assaults and the 2017 Ariana Grande concert bombing, all the while proving that “There is a light that never goes out”, to borrow from the singer Morrissey, a celebrated son of the city.
For impatient fans after a speedier look inside, there are stadium tours and, on match days, a number of hospitality packages that include a meal in a private suite, access to exclusive lounge areas and premium seats. A former player is on hand to reminisce, pose for photos and give his match day predictions.
Prices range from a few hundred pounds to several thousand, but if you’re happy to forgo the pampering, it’s sometimes possible to buy tickets minus the VIP experience. Keep an eye on the Manchester United website; tickets are usually released a few weeks before games.
Manchester’s other big team, City, play 6.5km (4 miles) away, at The Etihad.
China and Manchester’s historic bonds traced in city museum’s new gallery
Today the area is characterised by colourful, ornate buildings with curved roofs, decorative tiles and intricate carvings. The most recognisable landmark is the Paifang Archway, on Faulkner Street, which was built in China, shipped to the UK and assembled by Chinese craftsmen in 1987.
The vibrant neighbourhood is also home to an impressive selection of bakeries and bars, retailers stocking East Asian products and a diverse range of restaurants. It’s easy to embark on a culinary tour of regional Chinese cuisines without leaving this 0.2 square-mile (0.5 square-kilometre) corner of the city.
Covering an area of 600 acres (240 hectares), Heaton Park is one of the largest municipal parks in Europe. Popular with tourists and locals alike, the recreational space is on the site of Heaton Hall, an 18th-century country mansion which has been converted into a museum and art gallery showcasing what has been described as “the finest house of its period in Lancashire [the county that Manchester was historically part of]”.
The vast grounds boast a picturesque boating lake and free outdoor gym, children’s play areas and an animal centre where visitors can feed and interact with sheep, pigs, goats, rabbits and cows.
There are tennis courts, a golf course and horse riding trails while adrenaline junkies can try their hand at rock climbing and ziplining. The park also hosts outdoor cinema screenings, fairs, exhibitions and concerts.
